Flexible stay-bolt.



J.- W. KEELEY.

FLEXIBLE STAY BOLT. APPLIOATIOH mum 00124, 1510.

Patented Dec.13,1910.

To allwiwm it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mm W. KEELEY; or PHILADELPHIA, rnnnsrtvn'nu.

FLEXIBLE STAY-BOLT.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed October 24, 1910. Serial No. 688,754.

Be it known that-I, JAMES KEELEY, a

" citizen of the- United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Stay- Bolts, of which the following is a specification.

TlllS invention relates to flexible stay bolts for connecting the inner and outer sheets of steam boilers.

The object of the invention is to provide a flexible vstay bolt of simple and durable construction, capable of being used on either flat, oval or round surfaces of steam boiler sheets which will enable the sheets effectually to resist internal steam pressure, particularly on that class of boilers which Work under a high pressure of steam, such as 10- comotive boilers. V

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible stay bolt, the construction of which is such as to insure at all times a uniform tensile strain, instead of a lateral strain, common to stay bolts now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible stay bolt including a tapered plug adapted to be screwed or otherwise fastened into the outer or shellsheet and provided with a reducedneck defininga spherical head for engagement with a corres ondingly shaped socket in the adjacent en of the bolt, thus forming in effect a universal joint between the plug and bolt and permitting lateral movement of one relative to the other, incident to the expansion and contraction of the boiler sheets.

A further object of the invention is to provide the tapered plug with a tell tale hole, one end of which extends through the neck to a point near the top of the spherical head of the bolt, while theother end thereof opens through the outer face of said dplug, thus to permit the escape of steam an water and thereby notify the attendant in case of the breakage of a bolt.

A further object of the invention-is to construct the tapered plug in such a manner that the outer face thereof will lie substantially flush with the adjacent face of the outer shell or sheet,'so as not to interfere with the running board, springs, or other portion of a locomotive, and also to permit the same to be used back of frames, pads, or other rigging.

still further ob ect of the invention 18 generally to improve this class of stay bolts, 'so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency. r

Further'objects and advantages will ap pear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within thescope of the appended claims.

For a full understamfling of the invention and the merits thereo reference isto be had to the following descri tion and accompanying drawings, in whic F1 ure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a boi er showing in elevation a flexible stay 'bolt constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the stay bolt. Fig. 3 is a-front eleplug. Fig. et'is a similar view showing the threaded end of the boltafter the metal has been upset or riveted.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the v following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved flexible stay bolt forming the subject matter of the present invention is principally designed for use in connection with steam boilers and the like, and by way of illustration is shown applied to a steam boiler of the ordinary construction, in which 5 designates the outer or shell sheet, and 6 the inner or fire-box sheet, said sheets being spaced apart to form an intermediate water and steam compartment 7. M

The device comprises a removable plu 8 havin its side walls tapered and threa ed at 9 or enga ement with the threads of a corresponding y shaped opening formed in the outer or shell sheet The inner end of the tapered plug 8 is reduced to form a'con- .tracted neck or stem 10 defining a spherical head '11, which latter projects a short distance within the compartment 7, as shown, for pivotal connection with the stay bolt 12. One end of the stay bolt 12 is threaded 1n the inner or fire-box sheet 6 and is provided with a terminal squared portion 14 for engagement with a wrench or other suitable tool, by means of which the stay bolt may be screwed into said inner sheet. The opposite spherical socket 15 corresponding to and adapted to receive the head 11 of the tapered plug 8', thus to form in effect a universal vation looking at the face of the tapered,

end of the stay bolt 12 is provided with a' the plug when necessary, The

' It will here be noted that the outer face of the tapered plug 8 is flat, and disposed substantially flush with the outer face of the shell or sheet 5, so that itcan be used back of frames, pads, or other rigging, and also so as not to interfere with thespring arrangements, driving wheels, running boards, and the like, of locomotives to which it may be applied. The outer flat face of the tapered plug 8 is also preferably provided with a square opening 17 for the reception of a wrench, of any suitable construction, thus to facilitate removal or replacement of plug 8 is provided with a longitudinally disposed tell tale hole 18, one end of which extends through the contracted neck of said plug to a point near the base of the spherical head 11, while the other end thereof intersects the socket or recess. 17, andcommunicatcs with the atmosphere, so as to permit the ready discharge of steam or water from the compartment 7 and thus notify the engineer or attendant in case of breakage of the stay bolt.

. After the threaded end of the stay bolt 12 has been screwed into the inner or fire-box sheet 6, and the tapered plug threaded in the outer or shell sheet with the head 11 thereofseated in the socket 15, the squared end 14 of the bolt is severed and the exboiler are subjected.- Another defect found in the ordinary type of ball and socket flexible bolt is the fact that when the bolts are used in bad water districts they often become ri id,- due to the incrustation which collects in the joint between the sections of the'flexible bolt. With a bolt constructed in accordance with this invention, incrustationis practically impossible, as the flexible portion-of the bolt is actually in the water space, and the jaws of the socket of the bolt portion pry and dislodge. any incrustation that might collect and retard its movement, 1

thus insuring at all times perfect flexibility.

It will here be noted that the outer walls of the jaws of the socket '155 are disposed within the lines of the tapered plug 8, so that said plug forms in effect *a housing for the socket, while the tell tale hole is of sufficient I depth to span the junction, of the jaws 16 and necklO without materially weakening the spherical head of the plug.

the bolt in this manner, said By making bolt is subjected to a direct tensile strain instead of a lateral strain, thus materially'increasing the efliciency of the stay bolt and also lengthening the life thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 1

1. The combination with a pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt engaging one of the sheets and provided with a sphericalsocket,

and a plug engaging the othersheet and having a spherical head fitting withinthe socket. v

2. The combination with a'pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt engaging one of the sheets and provided with a spherical socket,

and a plug engaging the other sheet and having a spherical head fitting within the socket, there being a tell tale hole formed in the plug and having one end thereof opening through the outer face of the plug and its other end terminating short of the end of the head. r

3. The combination with a pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt having one end thereof threaded for engagement with one of the sheets and its-other end provided with a spherical socket, and a plug engaging the mating sheet and royided with a s herical head fitting within said socket, sald plug being pierced by a tell tale hole opening through the outer face of the plug.

4. The combination with a pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt having one end thereof provided with means for engagement with one of the boiler sheets and its other end formed with a s herical socket, and a tapered plug seate having its outer face disposed substantially flush with the outer face of said sheet and its inner face provided with a spherical head fitting within the socket, said plug being provided with a Wrench receiving opening and having a tell tale hole formed therein and intersecting said opening.

-5. The combination with a pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt engaging one of the sheets and provided with a terminal spherical socket, and a tapered plug threaded in the other sheet and having a reduced neck defining a spherical head, fitting with said socket,'there being a tell tale hole formed in the neck; of the plug and opening through the outer face thereof.

in the other sheet and I 6. The combination with a pair of boiler sheets, of a stay bolt having one end-thereof Jrovitled with a squared end and external threads for engagement with a correspondingly threaded opening in one of said sheets and its other end formed with a spherical socket, the jaws of which are thickened at the free ends thereof and rounded, and a tapered plug threaded in the other sheet and having its inner face provided with a reduced neck fitting against the thickened portion of the jaws of the socket and defining a spherical head seated in said socket, said plug being provided with a tell tale opening,

; one end of which communicates with the atmosphere, while the other end thereof extends through the neck to a point near the base of the spherical head.

7. A flexible stay bolt, including a body portion having one end thereof threaded and its other end provided with a spherical socket, and a tapered plu having a reduced neck defining a spherica head adapted to fit within the socket to form a universal connection between the parts, there bein a tell tale opening formed in the plug and aving one end thereof extending through the neck to a point near the base of the head and its otlher end communicating with the atmosp ere.

8. A flexible stay bolt, including a body portion, having one end thereof externally threaded and provided with a terminal squared portion and its other end formed with a spherical socket, the walls of which are thickened and rounded at the free end of the socket, a tapered externally threaded plug havin its outer face flat, and its inner face forme with a reduced neck defining a spherical head ada ted \to fit within said socket to form in e ect a universal connection between the parts, the outer face of said plug being provided with a wrench receiving recess, and the neck thereof formed with a longitudinal tell tale hole intersecting the wrench receiving recess, the exterior walls of the socket being disposed within the lines of the plug.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. KEELEY. Witnesses:

FRANK G. GRIER, JAMES F. MoPn Lmrs. 

